by nonchefnick
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my 6 recipes »
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nonchefnick's Notes:
Expand5 Boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut in quarters Ask a question about this ingredient
1 lb of pork, cut in 1 inch pieces (does not have to be an expensive cut) Ask a question about this ingredient
3 links of Chorizo saussage, cut in 1/2 inch slices (ask your butcher) Ask a question about this ingredient
24 fresh clams in their shells Ask a question about this ingredient
18 fresh mussels in their shells Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 lb of sea scallops, cut in half Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 lb of unshelled medium sized shrimp Ask a question about this ingredient
10 to 12 crab legs or claws or 6 to 8 jumbo prawns unshelled and heads on Ask a question about this ingredient
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
2 medium red tomatoes, seeded and chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
2 medium yellow onions, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
6 cloves of garlic, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup of pitted green olives cut in halves Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup of pitted black olives cut in halves Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup of thawed frozen baby peas (or green beans, cut and parboiled) Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup of garbanzo beans (this is unique to my recipe and have found that it works) Ask a question about this ingredient
1/4 cup of chopped parsley Ask a question about this ingredient
3 cups of rice (either Bomba or Calasparra) Ask a question about this ingredient
6 cups of chicken broth Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup of dry white wine Ask a question about this ingredient
1/4 cup of olive oil Ask a question about this ingredient
3 tablespoons of anise liquor (Pernod, Ricard, or Uozo) Ask a question about this ingredient
1/4 teaspoon of Spanish smoked paprika Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon of saffron threads Ask a question about this ingredient
3 tablespoons of pimientos Ask a question about this ingredient
6 to 8 lemon wedges (for garnish) Ask a question about this ingredient
Before you start cooking, make sure that all your prep work is done. This includes chopping, slicing, and the following. Shell the shrimp, leaving the tails on.
Ask a question about this stepPut the shells in a medium size pot and add the chicken broth.
Ask a question about this stepBring broth to a boil, lower heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the shells and discard.
Ask a question about this stepAdd the saffron and paprika to the broth, cover pot, and keep on warm heat, but do not boil or simmer, just keep it warm. Preheat your oven to 325.
Ask a question about this stepPour the olive oil in your paella pan and heat oil on high. Saute your chicken and pork until golden brown. Remove from heat and set on a platter. Cover to keep warm
Ask a question about this stepNow saute your chorizo on medium high for about 5 minutes. Add your onions, peppers, and garlic, and saute until onions get translucent.
Ask a question about this stepNow add your shrimp and saute for about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp and put them in the platter with the chicken and pork.
Ask a question about this stepStir the onions and peppers and add the anise liquor, then the white wine to deglaze.
Ask a question about this stepNow add the rice and stir well so rice is nicely coated. Next, add the chicken broth to the rice and stir well.
Ask a question about this stepAdd the parsley, garbanzo beans, peas, olives, tomato, and pimientos and stir well. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 10 minutes over medium high heat. Stir on occasion so rice doesn't stick to bottom of pan.
Ask a question about this stepNow add the chicken and pork back to the pan, bury the scallops and shrimp in the rice, place the mussels and clams into the rice face up, and place in the oven uncovered.
Ask a question about this stepCook in the oven for about 20 minutes, checking after about 15 minutes to make sure rice is nearly done. You want it to be al dente at that point, not crunchy. If you feel you need a little moisture, you may add 1/4 cup of stock, but it's doubtful you will need to. After 20 minutes, remove from oven and let set on stove top loosely covered with foil for about 15 minutes.
Ask a question about this stepGarnish the edges of the pan with the lemon wedges and a bit more parsley sprinkled over the top. This dish is well accompanied with a nice pitcher of chilled red Sangria. To prepare the Sangria, add 3 parts red wine, 1 part 7 UP, 1 part orange juice, 2 oranges cut in eighths, 2 lemons cut in eighths. Stir, refridgerate for about an hour. Finish dinner with some sliced pineapple and a shot of 43 served in a brandy snifter. Enjoy your fabulous dinner !!
Ask a question about this stepThis was my first go at cooking Paella, and it turned out beautifully! Thank you for such a great recipe!
Nick, are you ready for a throw down? I do paella myself but I cook it outside over a real wood fire which would be traditional in Valencia so that you get the soccarat bottom to it. I may submit my own in the challenge (snails are involved). Good luck in the challenge!
Pierino.
Challenges do not worry me. Please understand however, that I didn't know this contest was a pissing contest LOL. My grandmother whom I got the inspiration from was Catalan and I guess I picked up some of her techniques.
I don't have the privilege of starting a wood burning fire outside and cooking up a storm; however, you might want to check this link about Felicia Sorensen and what she said about my Paella. I'm not ashamed of mine in the least. The link is http://nonchefnick.blogspot.com/2009/11/meet-sikhamani-felicia-sorensen-world.html . Anyway, I welcome the challenge but remember this, The creators of this blog must be able to recreate the recipe in order to make it a finalist. If it is illegal for them to start a wood fire or if they don't have the facilities for it, it prbably wouldn't be selected. I think they're looking for recipes that most people can make in the comfort of their home. Were it me, instead of copying someone else, I'd come up with something original. You seem to be a very knowledgeable cook and you might want to come up with a whole new creation. You'll stand a better chance of pissing the farthest. But in the end it's you choice. Your recipe sounds good and traditional.
Beautiful presentation!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the compliment. Have a very happy Thanksgiving :)
Good luck in the competition my friend. Apparently a lot of cooks failed to observe the "no risotto" clause of the contract. I'll award you extra points for incorporating Ricard.
LOL.... I know. I even emailed the owners of the site to find out what was up with all the risotto recipes. They said all the risotto entries are automatically disqualified. I don't understand how one finds a way to overlook a minor detail as " NO RISOTTO". Oh well...
Thanks for the kudos on Ricard. It does make a difference with the seafood...
Eugenia is the author of the book Well-Preserved and writes about homemade food preservation for the Denver Post's Well-Preserved blog.
Cooking this tonight! This looks absolutely amazing with the crab on top! I am so excited to try this!